Football season in South Carolina means Friday night lights, packed stands, weekend road trips, tailgates with friends, and hours cheering from the sidelines.

The number of folding chairs, coolers, tents, food, backpacks, and sports gear can take a lot of space. The right used vehicle with the right blend of cargo space, seating options, fuel economy, and convenience features can help you through your everyday and football season routines.

Think About What You Carry to the Game

Before looking at cars, think about what you carry to the game. You should find something with plenty of room in the cargo area for chairs, coolers, tents, blankets, food, and gear. A wide liftgate or hatch, low cargo floor height, and some form of folding rear seats can help.

Consider crossovers if you're interested in a balance of seating, passenger space, and everyday practicality.

How Many Passengers Do You Need Room For?

Friends can join you for games, relatives may come to a home game, or several people can make the drive for an away game.

Consider a practical sedan for commuting, couples, or small families that want fuel economy and everyday practicality. Most sedans provide a comfortable seating experience in the back and a decent sized trunk for tailgate essentials without the use of something larger.

A crossover or larger SUV may be the better choice for families and groups that want to carry more people. You may want to think about legroom and other details such as width of the doors, cupholders, climate control, and charging ports for all of those who are joining you.

Think About What Makes It Easy To Pack / Load Things In/Out

Cargo capacity is one thing, but think about features such as a wide rear opening / hatch, low cargo floor, split-folding rear seats, and tie down points. All of this can make organizing and securing things in the vehicle a lot easier.

Pickup trucks are a great option. Their open beds can accommodate many things from folding tables, coolers, and tents for tailgating, to messier, lumpier items and larger objects. But remember that there are other considerations for day to day driving besides just throwing things in the bed of your truck.

Fuel Economy Is An Important Consideration

When every weekend has a road trip, and your week has home games, practice, family activities, and commuting to and from work, it can be expensive to fill up the tank.

Remember that fuel economy is also a consideration in finding the right vehicle. A practical sedan or smaller crossover could help immensely in reducing the amount of money going out each month if most of your driving is done on the road and you only need extra space a few times per year.

In the end, it all comes down to what you need. If you only tailgate a couple times per year, most sedans have enough space to accommodate that. If each and every weekend has friends, gear, and highway driving, then more space may be necessary.

Look For Convenient Technology

Your tailgate doesn't have to involve just mess, but more tech can bring convenience and comfort to your game day experience.

Multiple USB or USB-C ports can charge devices for everyone. Smartphone compatibility can help get you where you need to go, especially if you're unfamiliar with the area and need directions.

All wheel drive can also be a positive trait for many folks who are looking for the best in roads and weather adaptability. Other helpful technology can include a camera for backing up, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, climate control, rear air vents, blind spot warning, and more. Think about what you'll actually use and how it'll improve your life.

Think About A Used Car Beyond Just The Needs For Tailgating / Football Games

A football season vehicle should also be good for your year round needs. It should get you to and from work just as well as it gets you to a Friday night game. It should accommodate your weekend grocery store run and any spur of the moment Saturday or Sunday activities, too. It has to get you to tailgates when there's a home game, but also go everywhere else you need to go on a regular basis.

That is why it's worth thinking about several types of vehicles. A practical sedan could work well as an everyday commuter, a crossover could fit well for those in between the extremes of space and fuel economy, a pickup could help you with everyday driving plus larger loads, and a larger SUV can offer the space for families who need it.

TLC Motors is here for Upstate drivers who need to compare options.

Shoppers can think about what's best for their day to day, weekend, and football needs. They can check out the various used vehicle options and think about the space, features, and cost that is right for them.

Since inventory changes all the time, this is a great way to look at things and decide what type of car they want to view in person.

Whether you're heading to a Friday night game, tailgating with friends, needing to take a few of your friends to an away game, or simply driving around Spartanburg, the right used vehicle can make your football season easier.

Ready for Game Day?

Browse throughTLC Motors current inventory of used vehicles to compare what's right for your tailgate essentials, the space needed for people and their gear, and the fuel economy of your day to day commute.